Biology

1)  Discuss the thesis of the essay, The Hidden Life of Trees, in Drawdown.  Include in your discussion an explanation as to why trees may share nutrients. Write in your own words; no credit will be awarded to essays if text is plagiarized.

2)  Refer to the essay, Reciprocity, in Drawdown.  Explain how Susan Simard demonstrated that trees of different species are interconnected through the soil.  Include a detailed description of the experiment explain how carbon enters plants and how it eventually ends up in the roots of trees where it may be shared with other organisms. Write in your own words; no credit will be awarded to essays if text is plagiarized.

3)  Following an accidental introduction of the invasive species, Kudzu, to a plant community, what do you predict will happen to species richness and species evenness?  Explain your answer. Note: Refer to course materials.  Be sure to define the terms as you use them.

4)  Discuss how soil microbes affect the carbon cycle.  Include at least four different types of microbes (taxonomic groups), tell how they interact in a microbial food web, and describe how they either add or remove carbon from the soil. Terms to include in your answer: detritivores, heterotroph, symbiont, humus and hyphae. Define terms as you use them and base your answer on course material (lecture notes, textbooks and assignments).  Write in your own words; no credit will be awarded to essays if text is plagiarized.

5)  Compare and contrast two biomes: Temperate Forest Biome and Coral Reef Biome.  A good place to begin with this essay is with the concept of biome. Note: Content for this essay should be drawn from course material. You should describe what these two biomes have in common as well as what distinguishes them from one another.